Two killed on Lesvos as sheep made to cross busy road

Two people were killed and another five injured in a road accident involving a flock of sheep on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, authorities said on Monday.

According to reports, the sheep were being illegally transferred after dark on Sunday night in violation of a ban on all livestock movements on the island - in response to an outbreak of sheep pox.

The accident occurred as the animals were crossing the Mytilene-Kalloni highway when a pickup truck, driven by a 71-year-old man, rammed into the 59-year-old shepherd and crashed into the herd, before colliding with an oncoming car driven by a 66-year-old woman. Both the shepherd and the woman were killed.

The pickup driver and his 73-year-old passenger were injured, as well as three passengers in the 66-year-old woman's car - aged 59, 66 and 71. Local reports said that 18 sheep were also killed.